I relocated to Mt. Vernon last fall and recently discovered Cafe Fili. This is my new favorite breakfast spot and I eat here at least twice a week. My go-to meal is the Italian scrambler and I must say as one who eats a lot of eggs, it is the best egg dish I have ever had. To add to the experience, the owner and staff are welcoming and the ambiance is lovely in an updated historical building across from a beautiful stone church. For those who like to dine outside, there is an outdoor dining area under some sprawling trees. If you haven't tried it, stop by, you won't be disappointed! read more

Love them and the falafel bowl, my go to! Usually order to go since parking is difficult to find in the area but the aesthetic inside is nice too. read more

Consistently tasty, service is great, and the atmosphere is clean, open, and inviting. This place is such a gem for the neighborhood! You can get delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner for eat-in or takeaway. The sandwiches are all tasty, the shawarma is delicious, and the house made hummus never disappoints. Highly recommend this for a quick and tasty work lunch! read more

Well, if that's not the best cup of coffee I've ever had, however, 8.46$ for a cold brew and shot of espresso with some vanilla? Criminal. In what works can you justify these prices. I'll go on occasion but in the coffee saturated mount Vernon, I'll choose a more reasonable cafe. read more

Let me start by saying that I only gave 4 stars because of parking in the area. You have to pay for parking on the street and you may have to park and walk to the establishment depending on the day & time. Despite all of that I don't mind because the food is here is very good!!!!! I've had the short rib grilled cheese a couple of times, I love it! My friend Tess got it this time for restaurant week with tomato soup, it was the perfect combination for dipping. I got the lamb & beef gyro, I would definitely get it again! Everything about it was delicious! Monday was my first time experiencing the lentil soup(vegan & gluten free), ohhhhh it was soooooo so good! It reheated well too! That's something I would run in to get just to take home and keep on standby. Now that walnut baklava was insanely delicious!!! That may be the best baklava I've experienced in Baltimore thus far, it was perfection. All in all, every thing I've experienced at cafe fili has been veryyyyy good! The hospitality & customer service is also great! read more

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I love their food; they have Mediterranean specialties you can't really find in other places. Good quality! They also make creative and delicious espresso drinks. A very nice selection of wines and beers to go, too. Their desserts and pastries are a cut above. One of the most impressive things recently is how they have organized safe dining during the pandemic. It is the only place I feel safe eating outside my house right now. They really follow the best practices carefully and continually. read more

I love this place! I love it so much! The sandwiches feel like a treat and the drinks are delicious. I can not recommend enough. I feel so lucky to have it in the neighborhood! Always so delicious and the staff is great! read more

This is the only place we get catering from anymore. They blow everyone else out of the water when it comes to price, quality, taste, and presentation! They're always very accommodating when it comes to catering orders. We usually try to order a day or two in advance, but today we had to order last minute and they got us a panini sandwich tray & salad in an hour! They absolutely saved us for our meeting which was extremely accommodating. Their catering trays are gorgeous, and I love how they actually LABEL their sandwiches so you don't have to play a guessing game with your lunch. Their catering salads are huge and you can ask for more than one dressing which is very nice. They include regular kettle or bbq kettle chips if you'd like. They are also on seamless and grubhub for smaller order deliveries. Again, they always label their food which is nice. Their paninis are super delicious and come on a toasted sesame seed baguette which adds a nice crunch and flavor to the sandwich. The short rib panini and chicken pomodoro are favorites in our office. For the catering sandwiches, everyone always requests the chicken basil pesto. Delicious! I have never dined in here before but my sister has and she said it's really cute and casual inside. I'm looking forward to stopping by for lunch! Ps. Their baklava is to die for. Update: our 4th catering order and they crushed it again! They are always on time, their presentation is gorgeous, and the staff is SO nice. Their desserts are beautiful and super tasty. This is the only place we like to get catering from in Baltimore. Can't wait to dine here in person! read more

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Plenty of healthy options and the food is really fresh. Also a really cute atmosphere so not a bad place to get settled for a study session or something. The food does take quite a bit of time to come out. Haven't tried the desserts yet but they look beautiful! Will have to come back for those read more

Great little place off the beaten path in Baltimore. While most of the restaurants in Mount Vernon are on Charles St. this is on Cathedral St. which is significantly less trafficked and quieter so it's maybe a surprise to have a place this good in such a location but I hope they stay. I only ordered a pastry since I came here in mid-afternoon but it was quite good and everything else looked really fresh and interesting too. If the weather is nice this is a lovely place to sit outdoors, the street is fairly quiet, there's lots of space, and far fewer panhandlers than on Charles. The staff is also super friendly and the indoor space is clean and welcoming. Will definitely come back again and have a full meal next time. read more

Such a great addition to the neighborhood! I walked in here for the first time and was really impressed with the set up. It's very clean and spacious inside. Plenty of high top seating with a plug for almost every seat. The plugs are also usb compatible. I'm always impressed when a establishment has intentional considered teleworkers and their need for close proximity to an outlet. His location serves breakfast, late brunch on the weekends and lunch/dinner after 11am. They also have a small market area that sells cheese, wine and beer. They have outdoor seating, they're dog friendly with a water bowl and free WiFi. I ordered a Fatoosh salad with chicken to go. The packaging was very elegant and the salad dressing really made the salad hard to stop eating! I haven't tried their desserts yet but I can't wait to do so. I really like this place and came back a second time to try a grain bowl for dinner. The chick grain bowl was not bad. A little too creamy for me but delicious. read more

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I got takeout from here the other day and was super disappointed. I got the lamb bowl, and for the price, the portion was pretty small and the whole thing was cold and tasted like it had been sitting out for a while. And the "soft" pita I got with it was so tough and hard to chew. However, the taste was there so I think I just need to go back but go in person this time read more

The meh: The hot chocolate was forgettable. The seating is modern chic rather than cozy but the service was outstanding. The lamb meatballs were exquisite. I took three fancy pastries home to share with family. Not only were the pastries gorgeous but they tasted divine. read more

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One of my new favorite spots in the neighborhood! I sincerely hope it's here to stay. I've only been for dinner so far, but can't wait to come back during the day for breakfast, lunch, or coffee and dessert. From what I can tell, this would also be a great place to come get some work done -- clean, quiet, great tunes. :) The manager, Ali, and his staff were friendly and accommodating. Every dish I tried off the mezze and main course menus was delicious and filling. And the space somehow managed to be clean and modern yet warm and inviting at the same time -- a rarity in my experience. Lots of great vegetarian options, and all of the desserts looked like they were to die for -- I was able to try a few of the baklava (walnut, pistachio, and cashew) and all were fantastic. Great happy hour and daily specials as well (we bought a bottle of wine from the retail shelf and enjoyed it with dinner, a great deal). Can't wait to come back -- I can already tell it's working its way into my weekly routine. read more

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Great food great coffee and great service. I come here all the time!!! Recommend the hummus and the chicken Caesar salad

I was really impressed with the food here. I had the short rib grilled cheese panini, and it was so so so delicious. Lots of really yummy stuff inside, it really hit the spot. It came with a really well-dressed side salad. My friend got the tomato basil soup, which was only lukewarm and cooled off fast, but it was also incredibly tasty-I usually don't like tomato soup, but this was fantastic. I definitely want to return to Cafe Fili and try more of their dishes. read more

Cafe Fili - Short Rib Grilled Cheese Panini - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Lebanese style Mediterranean food in a warm, friendly location. My favorite spot for lunch!

I'm updating my review from a few years back. Unfortunately, Cafe Fili has gone downhill over the years. Since it used to be one of my favorite spots in the city, I've been reluctant to be too critical. However, after several lack-luster meals, it is clear that the restaurant is not what it once was. The chicken Caesar salad was always my go-to, but instead of a large $11 salad with high quality greens and kale, it is now a smaller $13 salad with anemic looking "greens" that look like they came from the bottom of a discount salad mix bag. In addition, there is no kale despite the listing of the ingredient on the menu. Fortunately, the salad dressing is still excellent, but with the stark drop in quality, the overall experience now feels deceptive and borderline disrespectful. It's disappointing to see such a great Baltimore spot go downhill. I've also noticed that their hours have changed numerous times over the past few years which has made supporting them more difficult. I think that they used to be open until 9, then it was 4, and it is now 7. Overall, it feels as though they're struggling with their identity -- unsure of whether they're a lunch café, all day restaurant, or something else. It's too bad since they have such beautiful space on both the inside and outside. I could see groups of people sitting outside with cocktails in the evening given their prime corner location and abundant outdoor seating. Unfortunately, closing in the middle of the dinner hour makes that more difficult. Hopefully, there is still time to turn things around, or perhaps it's time for a new vision for the space. read more

This little restaurant is absolutely fantastic and better than it has any right to be. The short rib melted cheese panini is probably the best sandwich I've ever had, and the lamb tagine is also obscenely good. Their wine selection is excellent too. They have plenty of outdoor seating and staff wears masks. Every time I go there the experience has been stellar and the food delicious. read more

Cafe Fili - Lamb tagine trio. - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Great ambiance, selection. I only stopped in for latte though so minimal feedback. My dirty chai tea latte was heavily spiced, which I generally appreciate, but it was so heavily spiced (I think nutmeg) that first sips were almost chalky. Appreciate the fresh spices, just need a little titration read more

This is a great neighborhood spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Consistent, quality food, lovely atmosphere and kind service. I love coming to this spot. read more

Worst gyros I've ever seen, bad service as well. There are better places to go, if you do don't get the gyros.

I'm really disappointed in the service I received here today. And I had been very excited to try cafe fili. The food and coffee 5/5, the service 1/5- and that's how I got to 3. The cashier and was very sweet but I'm not sure what happened. I waited 30 minutes for a panini. Now yes there was a line when I got there but about 10 minutes after I prefer everyone waiting (except me) was cleared out. After about 15 minutes the cashier told me they were out of bread. No worries, I was ok with a replacement. Well about 5 minutes later a couple that got there well after I had ordered (I know because I was almost finished my Mocha at this point) was served they're paninis? So I went back and asked she showed me my sandwich was finally being prepared and they were not out of bread. My issue is not with the wait, I understand that. But if I'm the only person NOTICEABLY standing and waiting and the only explanation I was given was false? And again -30 minutes for a sandwich that I watch to people get in like 5-10?!?!? And I'm the only brown customer standing around? Not communicating the delays was a big miss and I really hope this was just a fluke and I can change this review. read more

Definitely a hidden gem in Mount Vernon! My friends and I were looking for a light lunch on Sunday and stumbled across this place. It was a great option for a light and healthy lunch! We got falafel grain bowl, falafel wrap and ... Everything was delicious! The portion sizes were good and definitely filled us up especially since the bowl came with pita! The cafe space is bright and clean. It seems like a great place to do work. Their pastries looked amazing - will need to go back to try them asap! read more

Cafe Fili - Falafel Grain Bowl and one of the Scramblers Breakfast - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Cafe Fili is located right near the Baltimore Cathedral. You'll find street parking available if you're lucky :) It's a gorgeously decorated space with lots of natural light and very friendly staff. I ordered pancakes and an oat milk latte and everything was splendid. They offer baked goods or made-to-order breakfast items. It's a perfect downtown location to meet friends or get some work done. read more

Went there on a weekend day for a late lunch. The paninis are awesome. Tried three: cheesy piggie, short rib and chicken pomodoro. All were flavorful, the outside had a nice crunch. Surprisingly the panini and salad worked well with the picky palate of a child as well. Had the gazpacho as well, flavorful as well. Clean, brightly lit, solid service. I noted reviews with mentions of it being pricey. It is a $10 panini, and I had almost two of them, but they were that good. read more

Loved this little cafe! They have a variety of Mediterranean spreads, sandwiches and platters. They also make delicious lattes. Ask for the vanilla, cause they make that syrup themselves. I tried a bunch of their spreads and liked the baba ganoush the best! Probably the best one I've had in the city. The Chicken Marrakech panini is well flavored and delicious. read more

Cafe Fili - Chicks n Marrakesh Press Panini and the baklava sampler. - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Underwhelmed is an understatement. A popular Baltimore foodie that I follow seems to be a regular at this spot, so I decided to try it out. Got a Greek salad and a chicken shawarma pita wrap. Greek salad was just ok. Dressing was more of a darker vinaigrette. The pita for the wrap was thin and stale. The chicken had little flavor and there wasn't much in the sandwich. The side salad that came with the sandwich had a different dressing than the Greek salad and was light in taste. Cute little cafe and I was surprised to see that they served wine and alcohol. However, I wouldn't feel the need to return based on my food experience today. read more

Cafe Fili has become my favorite restaurant in Mount Vernon. I always purchase the Chicken pomodoro panini with a side salad. I love the vinaigrette dressing used on the salad! The food is always fresh! Great customer service and decent prices. I've also tried their sangria during happy hour which was really good! I definitely recommend Cafe Fili! read more

I'm a real fan because this place has really good quality food for the price! Came here for brunch with a friend and I got the Turkish Scrambler which came with a toasted sesame barbari bread (amazing) and roasted poatotes. The portion is not huge (my waistline shall thank me later) but enough so it is satisfying. The place is casual, you order at the register then they give you a number and bring the food to you. They also have a separate space for the customers solely getting coffee/drinks which is nice so that they customers don't feel like they're in the way of the customers sitting down.The menu is very simplified making indecisive customers like me breath a sigh of relief. Water is at a DIY station in the corner of the cafe. Not to mention the very aesthetically pleasing decor and space this place has, I really love the white tiles it bring so much more light into the space. I don't think mediterranean food gets any better than this place! read more

Cafe Fili - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Pita chips are to die for. They seem so fresh and crispy. The seasoning on the chips is amazing.

Really good food, and the prices are reasonable. Love the clean look of the place and the staff friendly. A hidden gem!

Cafe Fili has become a very enjoyable part of my daily routine. I can't think of a single thing wrong with the place. It's a clean, super attractive space with kind, friendly employees and fantastic food and coffee/espresso drinks. They're a little gem. I love the little hearts in my cappuccinos and that sweetheart who calls me "love". :) read more

I had the mushroom panini with a side salad. Everything was really delicious. My husband had a scramble. We both thoroughly enjoyed our food. Will return again. read more

Cafe Fili - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

First time came here and the environment is pleasing. Open bright and cozy with friendly staffs. Ordered the grain bowl with lamb and it was really good！I'm always a fan of lamb and they got a fair amount of roasted lamb well seasoned in the bowl. Personally also into the texture of grain. Cauliflower in the bowl is also good. They offer soft tortilla on the side and it goes well with hummus in the bowl. Very satisfied and have no complain :D read more

Cafe Fili - Falafel Grain Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Love this Mt. Vernon cafe! We went at 11am on a Sunday. My husband and I split the hummus special (hummus topped with pork) and it was finger-licking good. It made me a little too full to finish my chicken caesar salad. They have some lovely pastries and baklava; our friend tried the baklava and gave it . Would come back in a heartbeat. read more

Cafe Fili - Cakes - Mediterranean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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As a tourist, I like to explore different places and dine where locals suggest to experience the full effect. I visited this local shop with my puppy today and had the most rude encounter of my life. I looked around for a menu and could not find one. I asked, what looked like the manager, and was delivered a tone that exploded "could you ask a more stupid question you dumbass?". On top of that, there were no friendly or warm welcoming greetings given and I just felt immediately under appreciated and dismissed. Given the current unfortunate economic climate because of this global pandemic, you would think they would be grateful that their business is still open and able to serve the community and have enough income to sustain employees. Needless to say, I will never attempt to patronize this establishment ever again and will share my experience with all. read more

Small portions and mediocre taste. I also feel like overall the side salad that they serve with the food isn't that great. The panini tastes the same here and everywhere else read more

We were in town dropping our daughter off at MICA, and staying at the Revival hotel. Decided to stop in for lunch since it's so close to the hotel. And WOW - such a great experience all around. Super clean space, great design, smells so good, and so easy to order at the counter. The Greek salad was so fresh, the chicken Shwarma sandwich was delicious, and the chicken pomodoro panini was off the chain. The flavors were well balanced. Service was stellar. Can't wait to go back!! read more

I was happy to find this place while working in the area. I ordered through Yelp and the food was ready when I got there. I was about 5-10 minutes early. So I was pleasantly surprised. I had the Tunisian Salad with grilled chicken. It's a huge salad. Definitely enough for 2 meals for me. It was perfect. Tomatoes were fresh as was the salad mix. I asked for extra goat cheese and they had no problem giving it to me. The grilled chicken was ok. I didn't expect it to be amazing. It was good enough. I got hummus pita bread and dessert for this evening. I tasted the hummus it is really good. read more

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